Peer Pressure

Jeanne Koenig, a counselor at Perry Elementary and Perry Middle School in Perry, Ohio

I ask students to list things they will say no to in the future, like stealing and cheating. Each student compiles and then signs and dates the personal list. I ask them to look at their list at least once a year to see if they are still abstaining from these behaviors. We also talk about 'red flags.' I bring a red flag to class and explain that this term can refer to things people might say to influence them to change their mind. Students list red flags like 'no one will ever know.' They also list ways of saying no, including the eight D.A.R.E. techniques: (1) just say no; (2) give an excuse or reason; (3) sound like a broken record; (4) walk away; (5) turn the cold shoulder; (6) change the subject; (7) avoid the situation; and (8) find strength in numbers. Finally, we view the Sunburst video 'You Can Say No: Here's How.

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